Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the nation through the 44th edition of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann ki Baat’. PM Modi touched upon various topics, including the 'Fit India' challenge, the World Environment Day and the importance of sports.

PM Modi&nbsp

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed the nation through the 44th edition of his monthly radio programme ‘Mann ki Baat’. Earlier today, the Prime Minister also inaugurated the much-anticipated Phase 1 of the Delhi-Meerut Expressway in New Delhi. He also embarked on an 8 km-long mega road show in the Delhi.

His radio address comes a day after the Narendra Modi government and the Bharatiya Janata Party marked the fourth anniversary of NDA government in office. During the 44th edition of 'Mann ki Baat' radio address, PM Modi touched upon various topics, including the 'Fit India' challenge, the World Environment Day and the importance of sports. He also lauded the women naval officers for their historic voyage on INSV Tarini as well as the five tribal students who scaled Mount Everest.

Updates:

- I hope and believe that everyone will celebrate Eid with gaiety and fervor. I hope that the festival of Eid will further strengthen the bonds of harmony in our society. Heartiest felicitations to all of you. : PM Modi

- D. Prakash Rao, living in the slums of Cuttack, Orissa, who gave up everything of his in order to adopt and realize the dreams of others. D. Prakash Rao has been a tea vendor in the city of Cuttack for the past five decades. I congratulate D. Prakash Rao for his hard work, his persistence and for providing a new direction to the lives of those poor children attending his school. His life is an inspiration to the whole country. : PM

- The news being received these days is that there are preparations afoot in the whole world to celebrate 21st June as International Yoga Day. Yoga for unity and a harmonious society conveys a message that has permeated the world over: I appeal to all the citizens to adopt their legacy of yoga and create healthy, happy and harmonious nation.

- PM Modi paid tributes to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, on his death anniversary. He said, "Today is 27th of May, the death anniversary of first Prime Minister of India, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru ji. I render my pranam to Pandit ji. Memories of this month are also linked with Veer Savarkar."

- The month of May is associated with a historic event in 1857. While many preferred to call it only a Mutiny or a Sepoy Mutiny, it was Veer Savarkar who called it the First War of Independence. I pay my tributes to the great Veer Savarkar. Savarkar marched along with both poetry and revolution. Besides being a sensitive poet, he was also a courageous revolutionary: PM Narendra Modi

- 'Beat Plastic Pollution' is the theme for the World Environment Day on June 5. Visit www.wedindia2018.com to try to imbibe and inculcate the many interesting suggestions given there into our everyday life We have to live in harmony and in synchronicity with nature, we have to stay in touch with nature. #MahatmaGandhi had advocated this wisdom at every step of his life: PM Modi

- It is a matter of concern, whether these sports & games will fade away to the point of extinction. It will not just be loss of game; it will be the loss of spirit of childhood: PM

- Fit India is a great initiative. The positive response towards Fit India is overwhelming, there has been an increase in awareness towards fitness. The Fit India challenge has spread on social media very rapidly. I am happy to accept Virat Kohli's fitness challenege. Games represent unity in diversity. Traditional sports promote all-round development : PM Modi

- For centuries, Everest has been throwing the gauntlet at humankind. And for long, brave hearts have been responding to the challenge. I laud 5 tribal students from Chandrapur, Maharashtra, Ajeet and Deeya Bajaj, Sangeeta Bahl and a BSF contingent for scaling the Mount Everest. The BSF contingent also brought back dirt that had accumulated in the mountains. : PM Modi

- I am sure you distinctly remember that for the last many months, a naval team comprising six women Commanders was on a voyage. I congratulate these daughters and their spirit of adventure for bringing laurels to the country, for raising the glory of the Navy and significantly so, for conveying to the world that India’s daughters are no less: PM Modi

- PM Modi begins his monthly radio address

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